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How to Make a Good Project; No guarantees or refunds.
Topic Started: Aug 4 2014, 12:47 PM (6,476 Views)
Troll Man
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pretend this says something funny

Hello there you people who are reading this. As the title would suggest, these will be some guidelines how to write a good spec evo project. Pls read if are noob or lurker wanting to make some projects; you know who you are.

PLEASE NOTE: These are not must-dos, these are simply helping tips and recommendations (by me, so I mmmaaayyyy be a little biased) for making a successful project (actual success only comes to those who work hard and earn it).

Now without further ado, let us begin.

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BEFORE YOU BEGIN A PROJECT

- RESEARCH YOUR CONCEPT; this is really important, you gotta know what you're getting into and understand the concepts in your project idea before you start it.

- Don't overstep your boundaries. If you don't understand exactly how animals with different biochemistries could work or how flight develops, you should not be making silicon-based blimp aliens. Don't try and make an entire world from scratch if you probably won't even finish three updates before leaving everybody hanging.

- Lurk a lot. View other projects and threads. Gain inspiration and ideas, as well as some understanding of how things that may be relevant to your project idea work.

- Spend a good amount of time (a few weeks at least) conceptualizing and developing your project's history and world before you make any sort of solid base. Be prepared to discard any concepts that are improbable or unoriginal.

- Try not to use a concept that has been done to death (no/lesser-K./Pg, 50/100MYH, fantasy w/science etc.). If you REALLY want to do one of these projects, try hard to make things fresh and new (which will of course be hard as so many ideas have already been used up, so I'd say come up a more original idea ) and/or endure with it; don't stop after only a few updates and leave it there amongst the numerous other identical concepts.

- Ask questions. If you can't find information important to your project idea's concepts then it's totally alright to post a thread in General Spec (or another subforum depending on the question), other users might be able to help.

- DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Being inspired by someone else's creations and/or concepts are totally fine and expected, but I'm sure you all know when it's crossing the line. Giving your creation an almost identical origin and/or a very similar name/appearance as someone else's thing is really easy to see.

- A WHAT IF QUESTION IS NOT A PROJECT. This should be really obvious and I'm not even sure I should be writing this, but simply asking everyone what would happen if there was a planet of only rats or if an asteroid crashed down right now is not going to cut it. If you do make one of these topics at the very least you can throw in your own two cents on what would happen.

- Prepare some postable material before you even post your intro. No one really does this, but it feels really good to push out three long updates in one week without having to write anything that week.


---

INTRODUCING YOUR PROJECT

- Don't make a half-assed intro. Seriously. This is the worst. A good, long and descriptive introduction is really important to get people interested in your project. Simply saying what your project idea is is terribad; don't do that.

- The title is also pretty important; it is what people will remember your project as after all. Try not to do "Something Terra", it's been done a million times and signifies that not much thought was put into the title. Something short and easy to remember/spell is usually good.

- Write around +200 words for the title. Anything over 800 words is usually too long unless you puncture the introduction with pictures and split it into small paragraphs, but things less than 80 words signify you didn't really try (writing too long is better than writing too short of course).

- Make a table of contents. The current three rulers of Alternative Evolution, Habitable Zone, and Alternate Universes (Isla el Mundo Perdido*, Ilion, and Sheatheria respectively), all have table of contents for all their updates (among other things); it makes them easy for repeat viewings and very organized.

- A map of your project's world. This really helps. The three ruling projects listed above also all contain maps of the biomes of their worlds as well as named locations present. Even if you can draw jack diddly squat, having a map is always a good idea, as the bare minimum they require almost zero artistic skill.

- Pictures are definitely recommended if you can draw.

- Try to present your project in a semi-serious tone at the very least. Just slapping on your introduction with lots of full-caps words, LOLs, exclamation marks, and emotes usually looks silly.

- Proper grammar and puncuation. The reasons for this should be obvious to everyone.

- Read over your introduction after you finish writing it. The reasons for this should also be obvious.

---

COMMENTS ON YOUR PROJECT

- Be prepared to accept any criticisms for your project. LISTEN to said criticisms.

- Even if there are no/very few comments on a thing, whatever you do, do not bump your project with posts that only say stuff like "so are there any comments on this update/project/idea?"; people hate this.

- Do not be discouraged by lack of comments on your projects.

---

POSTING CONCEPTS FOR YOUR PROJECT

- Pictures are highly recommended. If you think you're a capable artist then at every opportunity stick pictures in your post. An easy way to make a popular project is to include great artwork in most of your updates. If not, well.... keep reading.

- DO NOT EVER TAKE SOMEONE ELSE'S PICTURE AND USE IT AS YOUR OWN. Seriously, forget what I said about a half-assed introduction being the worst, because it's hard to get much deeper than stealing other peoples' content. It is better to NOT have pictures than to take someone else's.

- Do not continuously rely on pictures to draw people in. While pictures are great and everything, this is a cheap gimmick and really comes back to bite you if your art is below average. Breaking a long hiatus with just pictures (especially if content was lacking before the hiatus) is also not recommended.

- Your updates should obviously try to have consistently good grammar and puncuation. Re-reading an update after you've written it recommended.

- Short updates are generally disliked. There isn't really a true description on what to do or what updates are not good updates but you know what I'm talking about. Generally around 100 words or less repeated times is bad form.

- Double-posting for updates is totally alright.

- Don't have posts that just say " get ready for [blank] coming up" or something like that, it just clogs up your thread and seems like a blatant attempt to up your post count and bump your thread.

---

That's basically all there is to know. You may try to add something or argue against something below.


*(cough)
Isla del Mundo Perdido! Diyu! R'lyeh!

---

Also can into [天].

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Adman
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Totally not lamna
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
Very helpful guide. This really should be pinned.
Projects and concepts that I have stewing around
Extended Pleistocene- An alternate future where man died out, and the megafauna would continue to thrive (may or may not include a bit about certain future sapients)
Inverted World- An alternate timeline where an asteroid hit during the Barremian, causing an extinction event before the Maastrichtian. Dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and notosuchians make it to the present, along with a host of other animals.
Badania- Alien planet that has life at a devonian stage of development, except it exists in the present day.
Ido- Alien world where hoppers (derived flightless ballonts) and mouthpart-legged beasts are prevalent.
Leto- Life on a moon orbiting a gas giant with an erratic orbit; experiences extremes of hot and cold.
The Park- ???
Deeper Impact- a world where the K-Pg extinction wipes out crocodilians, mammals, and birds; squamates, choristoderes, and turtles inherit the earth.
World of Equal Opportunity- alternate history where denisovans come across Beringia and interact with native fauna. Much of the Pleistocene fauna survives, and the modern humans that end up crossing into North America do not overhunt the existing animals. 10,000 years later, civilizations exist that are on par with European and Asian societies.
The Ditch- Nothing is what if seems..
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Holben
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Rumbo a la Victoria

Topic pinned, because I agree.

Quote:
 
(Isla el Mundo Perdido*
You never closed this asterisk, I was looking forward to the snide comment!
Time flows like a river. Which is to say, downhill. We can tell this because everything is going downhill rapidly. It would seem prudent to be somewhere else when we reach the sea.

"It is the old wound my king. It has never healed."
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Sheather
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Troll Man
Aug 4 2014, 12:47 PM
- Do not continuously rely on pictures to draw people in.
:ermm:
Posted Image
The Gaiaverse

| Eden | Terra Metropolis | Life of the Sylvan Islands |


Other Spec Evo

| Sheatheria | Serina | The Last Dinosaur

A Wholesome and Good Thing

| Sam |
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bloom_boi
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What The?
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
Troll Man
Aug 4 2014, 12:47 PM

- Spend a good amount of time (a few weeks at least) conceptualizing and developing your project's history and world before you make any sort of solid base. Be prepared to discard any concepts that are improbable or unoriginal.

Or maybe.....


THREE FUCKING YEARS AND COUNTING!


"You shall perish, whatever you do! If you are taken with arms in your hands, death! If you beg for mercy, death! Whichever way you turn, right, left, back, forward, up, down, death! You are not merely outside the law, you are outside humanity. Neither age nor sex shall save you and yours. You shall die, but first you shall taste the agony of your wife, your sister, your sons and daughters, even those in the cradle! Before your eyes the wounded man shall be taken out of the ambulance and hacked with bayonets or knocked down with the butt end of a rifle. He shall be dragged living by his broken leg or bleeding arm and flung like a suffering, groaning bundle of refuse into the gutter. Death! Death! Death!"



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Adman
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Totally not lamna
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
Or a month, give or take.
Projects and concepts that I have stewing around
Extended Pleistocene- An alternate future where man died out, and the megafauna would continue to thrive (may or may not include a bit about certain future sapients)
Inverted World- An alternate timeline where an asteroid hit during the Barremian, causing an extinction event before the Maastrichtian. Dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and notosuchians make it to the present, along with a host of other animals.
Badania- Alien planet that has life at a devonian stage of development, except it exists in the present day.
Ido- Alien world where hoppers (derived flightless ballonts) and mouthpart-legged beasts are prevalent.
Leto- Life on a moon orbiting a gas giant with an erratic orbit; experiences extremes of hot and cold.
The Park- ???
Deeper Impact- a world where the K-Pg extinction wipes out crocodilians, mammals, and birds; squamates, choristoderes, and turtles inherit the earth.
World of Equal Opportunity- alternate history where denisovans come across Beringia and interact with native fauna. Much of the Pleistocene fauna survives, and the modern humans that end up crossing into North America do not overhunt the existing animals. 10,000 years later, civilizations exist that are on par with European and Asian societies.
The Ditch- Nothing is what if seems..
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Lycaon
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All hail Odin! All hail the Allfather!
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
Bravo Troll man, I applaud.
Lamna
 
Winners don't do maths.


The true meaning of hypocrisy
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Troll Man
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pretend this says something funny

@Holben
Snide-ish comment added. I am the frogeting it. :V

@Sheather
Your projects are alright because the pictures are complemented with copious amounts of words and information per each piece of artwork.
Also I seem to recall some instances where you've written updates and they didn't have pictures.

@Just Watcher
A few weeks should be the bare minimum; anything longer is great. Also I don't want to frighten off the casuals.
Isla del Mundo Perdido! Diyu! R'lyeh!

---

Also can into [天].

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bloom_boi
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What The?
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
Its a reference to my embryonic (or comatose?) project LEGACY, which has been swimming around my head evolving for that time, while I find myself incapable of actually putting it down into organized words.
The struggle is real. Thus my musical lament.
"You shall perish, whatever you do! If you are taken with arms in your hands, death! If you beg for mercy, death! Whichever way you turn, right, left, back, forward, up, down, death! You are not merely outside the law, you are outside humanity. Neither age nor sex shall save you and yours. You shall die, but first you shall taste the agony of your wife, your sister, your sons and daughters, even those in the cradle! Before your eyes the wounded man shall be taken out of the ambulance and hacked with bayonets or knocked down with the butt end of a rifle. He shall be dragged living by his broken leg or bleeding arm and flung like a suffering, groaning bundle of refuse into the gutter. Death! Death! Death!"



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Adman
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Totally not lamna
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
You should get word. It helps with those free floating ideas.

Put em down and save em for later.
Projects and concepts that I have stewing around
Extended Pleistocene- An alternate future where man died out, and the megafauna would continue to thrive (may or may not include a bit about certain future sapients)
Inverted World- An alternate timeline where an asteroid hit during the Barremian, causing an extinction event before the Maastrichtian. Dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and notosuchians make it to the present, along with a host of other animals.
Badania- Alien planet that has life at a devonian stage of development, except it exists in the present day.
Ido- Alien world where hoppers (derived flightless ballonts) and mouthpart-legged beasts are prevalent.
Leto- Life on a moon orbiting a gas giant with an erratic orbit; experiences extremes of hot and cold.
The Park- ???
Deeper Impact- a world where the K-Pg extinction wipes out crocodilians, mammals, and birds; squamates, choristoderes, and turtles inherit the earth.
World of Equal Opportunity- alternate history where denisovans come across Beringia and interact with native fauna. Much of the Pleistocene fauna survives, and the modern humans that end up crossing into North America do not overhunt the existing animals. 10,000 years later, civilizations exist that are on par with European and Asian societies.
The Ditch- Nothing is what if seems..
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bloom_boi
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What The?
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
It's more about motivation to be honest. Though that describes my life in general.
ANYWAY.
"You shall perish, whatever you do! If you are taken with arms in your hands, death! If you beg for mercy, death! Whichever way you turn, right, left, back, forward, up, down, death! You are not merely outside the law, you are outside humanity. Neither age nor sex shall save you and yours. You shall die, but first you shall taste the agony of your wife, your sister, your sons and daughters, even those in the cradle! Before your eyes the wounded man shall be taken out of the ambulance and hacked with bayonets or knocked down with the butt end of a rifle. He shall be dragged living by his broken leg or bleeding arm and flung like a suffering, groaning bundle of refuse into the gutter. Death! Death! Death!"



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Dragonthunders
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The ethereal archosaur in blue

I must say it's a great job, I was going to cover this in my norms of good manners, but after reading your guide, better not do it. good work

Moreover, I realize that I'm doing some things wrong here in the forum :(
Edited by Dragonthunders, Aug 4 2014, 04:43 PM.
Projects

"Active" projects

The Future is Far
Welcome to the next chapters of the evolution of life on earth, travel the across the earth on a journey that goes beyond the limits, a billion years of future history in the making.

The SE giants project
Wonder what is the big of the big on speculative evolution? no problem, here is the answer

Coming one day
Age of Mankind
Humanity fate and its possible finals.

The Long Cosmic Journey
The history outside our world.

The alternative paths
The multiverse, the final frontier...

Holocene park: Welcome to the biggest adventure of the last 215 million years, where the age of mammals comes to life again!
Cambrian mars: An interesting experiment on an unprecedented scale, the life of a particular and important period in the history of our planet, the cambric life, has been transported to a terraformed and habitable mars in an alternative past.
Two different paths, two different worlds, but same life and same weirdness.




My deviantart


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whachamacallit2
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Guy who yells at squirrels
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *
Yeah, I sort of realized for all my short lived projects, they got a surprising amount of attention at the beginning, but then it quickly faded when I guess I lost my pizzazz and found that keeping the writing the same quality became harder.
Click for shameless self plug!
Spoiler: click to toggle

Get you one at http://whachamacallit1.deviantart.com/

Learn the life, history, and fate of the tidally locked planet Asteria at: http://s1.zetaboards.com/Conceptual_Evolution/topic/5725927/1
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Monster
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Space Oddity

I'll try not to post short updates :S. Also the index is a good idea.
Flashlights, nightmares, sudden explosions.

'active'
{tumblr}
{Veles}
{10 Million Years of Rain]

Commissions: Open.



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Hananas59
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Traveller of the imagination
 *  *  *  *  *  *
Thanks for this guide Trollman

Altough I disagree at the fact that you shouldn't be discouraged to continue if you don't get replies. Seriously it's harder then it states.
Treading the line between imagination and reality
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